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Owner of logging company crushed by rootwad of windfall tree during bucking operation - Alaska, November 8, 1992.

Authors

NIOSH

Source

Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, FACE 93-04, 1993 Mar; :1-7

A tree faller/bucker was killed while bucking an uprooted hemlock felled by the wind. The victim was a 32 year old male who was part owner of a logging company; he was also manager of the company safety program. The root system of the felled tree was about 3 feet deep and had a diameter of about 15 feet. The felled tree was located on a mountain where the average slope was 60 to 70%. The worker cut about 30 feet off the top of the tree, and then tried to cut the rootwad off near the tree base, but was not able to do so due to the fact that the chain saw bar bound up in each of 4 cuts made about 80% of the way through the tree. He moved downslope and began to drive a wedge into the last cut. After a few seconds of this activity, the rootwad broke loose from the tree, sliding about 25 feet downslope, engulfing and crushing the victim. It was recommended that fallers and buckers properly evaluate felled trees and the area around them so that potential hazards can be avoided, that all logging workers receive adequate training, and that a competent person be designated to conduct inspections to ensure that workers follow established safe felling and bucking procedures.